


Rise of a Legend

by stuckonyou



Category: Avengers: Endgame - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, i warned you, seriously dont read it if you havent seen the movie yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 15:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18626089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stuckonyou/pseuds/stuckonyou
Summary: Everyone knew about Tony Stark. He was Iron Man, sure, but that’s not all. He was always so much more.





	Rise of a Legend

Everyone knew about Tony Stark. He was Iron Man, sure, but that’s not all. He was always so much more. In his own words, take off the suit, he’s a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

They all knew a different version of him. Even Tony himself began to lose track of who he was.

Steve Rogers knew a man he thought to be selfish, that he thought fought for himself and nothing more. The confrontation five years ago, just after Tony returned, proved him wrong. Through the years, he had doubts, but that was the moment he realized that Tony wanted what was best, that he didn’t care the cost so long as the people he cared about were safe. Steve realized then that he should’ve noticed in New York all those years ago, when Tony was ready to sacrifice his life to save the city. And again, when Tony used his fears to fuel what he thought could protect the world, to let them retire and live calm, happy lives. He should’ve realized again when he sacrificed his freedom and autonomy in hopes of controlling the damage, not for the first time, after seeing what the team or he alone could do when left unchecked. Tony fought for everyone, to the end. He knew he couldn’t survive the stones, but as he said, he is Iron Man. He exists to save and to liberate the world. This is what Steve missed for so many years. 

Natasha Romanov, in the beginning, saw a man who had almost no impulse control, who would do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to. She saw a man who was “prone to self-destructive tendencies, who would not be a good addition to the avengers. Soon, she saw him as a friend, someone she could truly trust. She knew him as the kind of person who would do whatever it takes to protect those he loves. She didn’t live to see his end, but she would’ve been proud of how he went. It was nothing less than what she would expect from such a good man. 

Thor saw an annoyance in the beginning, though he initially saw everyone as a hindrance to finding his brother. Later, he saw a man who was brave, but selfish. Like Steve, he missed the bravery and selflessness with his attempted sacrifice in New York. He missed the man who dreamed of change and protection, until he finally realized that Tony was right. Tony knew what he was doing, despite his mistakes, and did whatever he could to protect the world. In the end, Thor saw a friend, brave enough to sacrifice himself yet again in the face of certain death to ensure that the world would keep spinning, and that everyone else could be happy. 

Bruce Banner saw the first person in years to treat him as a friend instead of a threat. The first person to help him control himself by pushing him out of his comfort zone, but always making sure he was okay. He always saw one of his best friends, who would try his best to help but wouldn’t always know what to do, who was hurting so much on the inside but let so few people in, who cared for so many people but always loved with all he had. He saw the man who wanted to protect the world, but went about it in the wrong way, but who never stopped trying. He saw the man who survived hell and came back kicking, then still settled down with his family for what little time he could. He saw the man who died doing what he could not. He saw the bravery of Iron Man but he was among the few to always recognize that it was Tony underneath the suit.

Nebula wasn’t sure what to make of him. They met among chaos, bonded over tragedy, learned to enjoy each other’s company and to take care of each other. He was among the few to survive a real fight with Thanos, so she knew he was strong, but besides that, she didn’t know much. Through the years, she heard stories from his friends, she heard of his victories and defeats as told by everyone except him, each version just slightly different. She saw how he sacrificed his own chance at happiness with his family to help the rest of the world find theirs, she saw how he always saved others before trying to protect himself, she saw how he hugged the child he had lost on Titan. She saw how he tricked Thanos and took the stones. She saw how he wielded them, how he achieved what none of the rest ever could, and she saw bravery. She recognized it more, perhaps, than most of his friends. She didn’t know him well, but she grew to care for the man who helped her and taught her to have fun when she never thought she could be happy again. She mourned for her friend and wished their time together had been happier.

James Rhodes saw his best friend. They had known each other for years. Throughout the years, he was by Tony’s side. He was there for the birth of Iron Man. He saw all of the painful choices Tony made, what everyone thought was selfish and he understood why he did what he did, that he was always trying to help others. He saw selflessness until the end. He didn’t need the reminder from New York or the infinity stones. He knew his best friend until the end. He watched as Tony saved the universe, as he gave everyone their happy endings, as he sacrificed his own, and felt as he did ten years ago, helpless as he was for three months when he thought Tony was dead. But this time, it was real. He looked at Tony and saw his best friend, whether that was the young genius at MIT or the aging Iron Man who wanted nothing more than to retire and live with his family. He saw selflessness and sacrifice. He saw freedom. 

Peter Parker saw an icon. He admired Tony as a child, he was ecstatic after he admitted the truth about Iron Man. He remembered being at Stark Expo, everything going wrong, and he remembered being saved by his hero. Years later, he saw a mentor. He saw a man who he respected and admired, but wasn’t necessarily afraid to call out. He saw a man who was trying to be better than his father but struggled to figure out how. He saw a man that had to be reminded not to discount the opinions of those younger and less experienced than him. He saw the man he had failed, the man he disappointed by staying on the ship. The man he knew felt responsible for his death. Those five years passed without Peter noticing, and once again, he saw a man who was ready to sacrifice himself for the greater good. He saw his mentor die to save the universe, he saw the man who tried to pull him back from death but failed, then Peter tried and failed to do the same. He saw a selfless man who gave him the chance of a lifetime, a man he swore to himself he would never disappoint again, whether he was alive to be proud of him or not. 

Harley saw the guy who broke into his garage, dragging a dead suit, half dead himself from the cold. He saw the man who he helped through panic attacks, who he argued with even then, but respected. He saw the man who became a sort of father figure to him, after just the few days he was there. He saw the man who spent years trying to make the world a better place. He was one of the only people outside of close friends to receive an invitation to Tony’s wedding. The real one. Tony was always just a call away. Harley saw the man he would call just to rant, who would drop whatever he was doing to listen, even if he didn’t respond he was always there. Harley saw the man who helped him stand up for himself as a child. He saw the man who would do whatever it takes to get back to the people he loves. He wasn’t there when Tony died. He was glad about that. He didn’t think he would’ve handled it well. 

Pepper Potts initially saw a genius, selfish and insensitive, but who couldn’t go a day without her. After he was kidnapped, she saw a boss that she hated in the beginning, now someone who she had grown to care about, someone she would’ve been proud to call a friend. It became more. She saw the man who made her CEO of the biggest company in the world despite her lack of qualifications, because honestly, she had been running that company for years anyways. She saw a man who tried always to make amends but never really managed to get it right. She saw a man who isolated himself, who pushed everyone away and drank himself into oblivion so that he wouldn’t risk hurting anyone with his death. She saw the man who hid illness so well, because he was so unsure of whether there was anyone left who would truly care about him. She saw a man who, against all the odds, grew to be a better person, began to care more for others, who grew out of all of his selfish tendencies and tried to help, not knowing what to say when he did. She saw the man who called her before heading to what he thought was his death, who refused to leave a message because he didn’t want her to hear him in pain. She saw the man who didn’t properly deal with his issues after multiple near death experiences, who kept building and building and building until he was drowning in his own inventions. She saw the man who created and destroyed without mercy, who wanted to protect but felt as if he would only cause pain. She saw the man who understood that he needed to be held back and controlled, who knew that he couldn’t manage on his own anymore. She saw the man who learned to ask for help, and who learned to accept it when others offered. She saw the man who would take children under his wing, helping them even if only for a bit, giving them some confidence and good thoughts. She saw the man who sacrificed himself to save the planet, who lived through hell and came out kicking. The man who finally said what was on his mind, the one who was right all along, who truly understood the kind of danger they were in. She saw the haunted looks for a while every time someone would mention Peter and she saw how he tried to move past this. She saw the father of her child, the man who was terrified his whole life of having a child but wanted nothing more, who would dream of that life and think it was real. She saw the man she fought alongside of. She saw the man who took on more power than he could to save the universe, but mainly to give his daughter a happy, safe life. She was there for the beginning of Iron Man and for the end of Tony Stark. She saw the man who had a heart and she held the proof in her hands. She let it go over the lake, she put him to rest knowing that he was the reason they were still alive. 

Without Tony Stark, there are no Avengers. The world would end multiple times over. There is no planet, no universe worth living in. The death of Tony Stark was the fall of a hero, but his life was the rise of a legend.

**Author's Note:**

> Keeping with the trend of staying up too late after seeing an avengers movie and writing about the saddest scenes in the middle of the night :) after last year I thought nothing would be worse but here we are :)))))) lmk what you think


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